The subject matter herein relates generally to lighting assemblies, and more particularly, to jumper connectors for lighting assemblies.
Light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) are now widely applied in a variety of lighting applications. The relatively high efficacy of LEDs (in lumens per watt) is the primary reason for their popularity. Power savings are possible when LED's are used to replace traditional incandescent lighting. One aspect of LED technology that has proven problematic is the efficient management and removal of waste heat. The waste heat results in degraded performance and reduced device life. Typically, to remove waste heat, a heat sink or other heat dissipating device is utilized.
An example of lighting components in use today that utilizes LEDs is the CL-L102 Series of lighting components, commercially available from Citizen Electronics Co. Such lighting components include an elongated circuit board having one or more LED's mounted thereto that is surrounded by a phosphor material to control the illumination. Such lighting components are used for general lighting purposes. Typically, the circuit board is mounted to a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by the LEDs. A screw is used to hold the circuit board to the heat sink. In some applications, multiple lighting components are utilized and arranged in series as a lighting strip, where the circuit boards are aligned along the heat sink or another substrate and secured thereto by the screws. The circuit boards are electrically connected to one another by wires that are soldered between adjacent circuit boards. Power is supplied from one board to the next by the wires. The wires are typically soldered after the circuit boards are secured to the substrate. The multiple assembly steps of individually securing the lighting components to the substrate and then electrically connecting the string of lighting components with wires is time consuming.
Another approach is to provide thermally conductive substrates on which the lighting components are mounted. These substrates generally perform a function of mechanical support, also provide for electrical interconnection to and between components, and assist in the extraction and dissipation of heat generated by the lighting components. These substrates often are costly or require complicated multi-step manufacturing processes.
There exists a continued need to provide interconnect structures for lighting assemblies that allow for rapid heat dissipation and are cost effective and simple to make.